Club News

Chairman for the evening Paul Hayward, welcomed Paul O’Toole fromWorthing on a return visit as our judge for the evening. Paul presented as a judge with an easy going manner, humour and discernment with comments from which we could all learn and enjoy our photography. He was appreciative of those photographers who had gone out on a limb to try new ideas and techniques. Paul commented that the marks that he gave would reward such efforts. He was very free with his tips on digital improvements.

Tonight, we had another return visit from Ken Scott ARPS who has visited us about once a season for a great number of years either as a first class judge or to give us one of his inspirational lectures.

It was good to see so many people at Sue Bishop’spresentation although the home supporters were almost outnumbered by visitors. We welcomed some new faces and friends from Steyning and Bognor Camera Clubs –and even Mrs Co-Chairman was there. Storrington members are clearly keen to miss the worst of the winter – I know of members in Costa Rica, South Africa and Florida at the moment and there may be more elsewhere – this is why we were a bit thin on the ground.

Rob de Ruiter returned yet again (he has been appearing so often recently that I am wondering if he wants to join SCC. However, after the marks he gave me in the last PI competition he has got no chance-only joking), to judge our round of the Southern Photographic Federation PI competition.

And very welcome he was as usual as he is one of the better judges that visit us.

Last night was the last meeting in 2016 and time for a 'knees up', or so Diana Newnes thought when I offered to bring her.

Instead, she was quizzed, but well fed thanks to Daisy who came loaded with food and drink. Anne helped her put the food out and start heating the punch, whilst our Quiz Masters Liz and Janet set out tables, chairs and Quiz sheets and generally prepared us for our entertainment.

Chairman for the evening Paul Hayward warmly welcomed Rob deRuiter our judge with an open competition for prints and set subject of “Speed” for projected images. After saying how pleased he was to return to Storrington and some early banter, Bob described us as a “lively bunch”, who would want to argue with that I wonder?

Prints were first out with 28 in total, of which 6 reached the top range of marks earned by just 4 exhibitors, so quite an achievement, well done to Anne Nagle, Di Walker, Chris West and Ray Foxlee.

I am a creature of habit, not always good habits, and I awoke at 4am this morning and started thinking about reporting on last nights visit from Peter Bamforth.

It was no good; downstairs to get a pad (not an ipad) and start writing to get the stuff out of my head. Having done that, down again to make a mug of hot Horlicks, back up, read my book and then fall asleep with glasses on, book on the floor, until 6.30am.

Only 3 of our members attended this event on Saturday afternoon at the Kings Centre in Burgess Hill, which was very disappointing. Last year at one of the Sussex Fed competitions about a third of our membership turned out and we did very well on that occasion. However, I do not think more members would have given us a better result this afternoon!

We welcomed back Roger Crocombe ARPS to give us another of his talks, this time on HDR (his notes for this topic will be available on our website for those who missed tonight).

Modern Digital cameras do not capture as much Dynamic range as Film did and so if you are photographing a scene where there are extremes of light and shade, you will only get detail in either the light areas or the dark areas, but not in both. This is where HDR will sort out this problem.

Welcome once again to David Eastley – not to judge acompetition but to give a critique of our efforts. No prints this time but all PDIs – and over 60 to view so a full evening.